Adrien Gets Appreciated 2018
by Senshido09
Summary: My contributions for Adrien Appreciation Week 2018. All 7 days are up: Will Marinette say yes? What does the future hold for them now?
1. Friends

Day 1: Friends

The screen flashed a familiar "Player 2 Wins" as groans and cheers erupted around him.

"I can't believe this! There's just no way!" Nino complained. "Are you cheating or something?"

"What's the matter, Nino? Never imagine yourself getting beat by a girl?" Alya sassed back.

Nino set his controller down. "It's not that, I just don't get how she's won twelve times in a row!"

Marinette leaned her elbows onto the back of the couch. "You should be used to it by now. I've beat you at least that many times before."

" _That_ I'm used to…" he muttered. He turned to Adrien. "Where did you even _find_ this girl?"

Kagami stood from her seat to grab a soda. "He didn't have to find me anywhere. This was my idea after all." She took a drink. "Well, mine and Alya's."

The banter continued, and Adrien sat back in his seat, a small smile on his face. He could hardly remember a time when he was this content. Sitting on the rooftops with Ladybug during a lull in Akuma activity came close, but even that was different. Here, there were no masks, no hidden names, no carefully constructed conversations so as to avoid giving too much away. Even as he struggled to put a name to _this_ his smile widened, watching Kagami and Marinette face off next on the game consol.

"Now that is a great face."

Adrien turned to the voice, finding Luka handing him a drink. Adrien accepted it. "What do you mean?"

"Your face just now. I've seen some of your ads around the city, but none of them look as genuine as what you're wearing now." Luka said, pointing to the model's face.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. None of them have this going on though, so… yeah." He gestured out to the group cheering on the two girls. Nino was calling for Marinette to avenge him, while Alya played devil's advocate and cheered for Kagami. "Actually, I don't think I've ever had this before." Adrien shrugged.

"What? Friends?" Luka asked, raising an eyebrow.

Then it dawned on Adrien. The _this_ he'd been unable to name was friendship. It wasn't the love and companionship he felt for Ladybug, it wasn't the mobs of fans and admirers at school, or even the clinging closeness he shared with Chloe. The warmth in his chest when Nino gave him a fist bump or Alya suggested they do something as a group, the light feeling he got even when Kagami bested him with a sabre, the confidence he got when Luka complimented his keyboard-playing. It was friendship. Even the concern he felt when Marinette stumble over her feet. The happiness that filled him when he saw her laugh or blush from words of praise. Surely that was friendship, too.

"Well, yeah." He finally answered, smiling. Luka's eyes widened, and he recognized pity in them, but it only made Adrien's smile bigger. It wasn't the pity of an adult about his "sad life", it was the concern of a friend.

Adrien looked back at the screen just in time to see "Player 1 Wins" pop up. Marinette jumped up and did a victory dance, holding her controller up in the air. Kagami, though mildly annoyed at her loss, smiled at Marinette's display. Nino whooped and picked Marinette up in a hug, while Alya shook her head.

Adrien sighed and looked back at Luka. "Aren't our friends great?" he asked. Luka smiled back.

"They really are." He agreed.

AN: Just a quick exercise. I wanted a scene of what Adrien's life might be like now that his friendship circle is expanding, and how he would feel about that.

This was for Adrien Appreciation week!


	2. HeroVillain

Day 2: Hero/Villain

"I think I would make a _meow_ velous villain." Cat Noir said, breaking what had been a comfortable silence atop the Eiffel Tower. With the sun setting behind them, it'd been picturesque.

Ladybug barked out a laugh. "Yeah, right, Kitty. There's not a mean bone in your body."

"Au contraire, my dear Ladybug. You see, I am the wielder of the power of destruction. My ring is home to the god of destruction himself." He leaned towards Ladybug, a smirk on his lips. "I could be a regular bad boy." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Ladybug rolled her eyes at him, a fond smile on her lips. "Right, Kitty. This coming from the guy who nearly cried the last time we saw a stray kitten while on patrol."

Cat backed off, his playful expression completely derailed. "W-well, that was different! I was just, uh, w-worried about my own kind, that's all!" He crossed his arms, pouting. "Completely different."

"Oh, of course." She said.

Cat Noir opened his mouth, but a scream from down below caught their attention. With only a moment to glance at one another, they were off, swinging and vaulting towards the sound of a scuffle.

They landed at the mouth of an alley, shrouded in darkness by high walls. Ladybug's yo-yo was out and spinning, while Cat Noir held his staff pointing at the cause of the commotion. Cat's eyes widened as he took in the scene.

A woman lay on the ground, dirt and alley grim staining her otherwise lovely outfit. Her hair disheveled, and her eyes red and full of fear as she stared at the heroes. Above her stood a man clutching a purse in one hand, and a gleaming knife in the other. He wore a crude mask and nondescript clothing. The man's stance, looming over the woman but looking over his shoulder at them, told Cat Noir all he needed to know about the situation.

Anger boiled in Cat's chest, an unintentional growl escaped Cat's throat, and his hands clenched his staff tighter.

Ladybug failed to notice her partner's change in demeanor. "What's going on here?" She questioned them.

"Oh, I think it's _purr_ fectly clear what's going on, Milady…" Cat said through clenched teeth.

"This ain't got nothing to do with you, so just buzz off!" the man with the knife spat at them.

"Now, see, that's where you're wrong." Cat said. In an instant, he was between the man and woman, his staff pressing against the man's chest. "I think this has _everything_ to do with us."

The staff elongated and pinned the man against the wall of the alley.

"Looks to me like you were threatening this woman. For what? Money? And that's disrespectful." Cat walked closer to the man, his staff shortening automatically. "Worst of all, you did it in _my_ city. Under _my_ watch." Cat laughed humorlessly. "And you were dumb enough to get caught."

"Put him down, Cat Noir." Ladybug said, her voice even. Cat stared at her in disbelief. "He knows he's no match for superheroes." The man nodded enthusiastically.

Cat scowled, but he let the man down. The man dropped the purse, edging away from the heroes.

"She's right." He said, nudging it closer to them as he kept his other hand out of sight. "I know when I'm out of my league…" He tried to back further away, but Ladybug came to stand behind him, her yo-yo on her waist.

Seeing an opening, the man lunged for the heroine. In a flash, he held Ladybug from behind, his arm around her neck and the knife pressed against her cheek.

Ladybug cursed under her breath just before the man was pushed away from her by Cat's staff. The impact sent the knife skimming across her face, allowing a small line of blood to travel down to her chin. The pain of the cut hadn't even set in before Cat Noir was on top of the man. The knife clattered several feet away from where Cat Noir had the man pinned, gripping the man's arm tightly behind his back.

Looking at her partner, Ladybug had never been so frightened. In place of playfulness and admiration, rage and revenge had set in. Cat's eyes were mere slits against the sea of green, his ears against his head, and his hair even stood up in the back like hackles on an actual cat. Even under an Akuma's manipulation, he'd never looked at someone with such hate.

Hesitant, Ladybug put her hand on her partner's shoulder. He whipped around to look up at her, and she flinched, bringing her hand away. Immediately the anger melted away, replaced with concern, then fear. He looked down at the man on the ground, as if only now aware of his actions. He practically jumped off the man. The impact of his tackle had knocked the man unconscious, and he lay on the ground, motionless. Cat quickly looked to the woman who'd been mugged. She'd passed out sometime during the altercation.

Realization dawned in Cat's eyes, and he took a step away from Ladybug.

"Cat-"

"You- you should call the police now… L-let them handle…" he gestured around the alley, "all this…"

Ladybug could only nod and she made the call.

All through the police's questioning, Cat Noir stood against the wall, his arms folded and his head down or turned away towards the city.

Ladybug saw the police off and got the woman into an ambulance before turning her attention back to Cat Noir. Even as she walked up to him, he wouldn't look at her.

She leaned against the wall next to him, the bumped his shoulder with hers. When he didn't react, she said, "C'mon. Let's go for a run."

With a slight nod from him, they were off.

It was only ten minutes later when Cat broke down. Ladybug jumped to a new roof only to pause when she didn't hear Cat's footfalls after her. When she turned, he was standing in the middle of the last roof, just looking at his hands. She quickly joined him.

His voice was quiet when he spoke. "I could have-"

"But you didn't." she said firmly.

He looked up at her, his eyes haunted. "A part of me really wanted to…" He turned away. "When I saw him go after you, and the knife…" he looked at her over his shoulder. "I couldn't even think." His whole body slumped. "Maybe I really am a villain."

"No." she walked up to him, and turned him towards her, both hands on his shoulders. "No. Don't you ever think that, Cat Noir. You hear me? You are _not_ a villain. You're a hero." She pointed towards the city. "What you do for this city on a regular basis, what you do for _me_ every day… That's what defines you. Not a moment of weakness, or single 'what if.' You are more than the destructive power you bare. You are the kind soul behind it that uses this power for good. To fight the evil in the world." She gave him a smile. "You're _my_ hero, Cat Noir."

Cat surged forward, wrapping his arms around her. The tears flowed down his face and onto her neck as he just held her. Without a moment's hesitation, Ladybug returned the embrace, holding him close to her.

Cat was thankful that she didn't say anymore. He didn't know if he could take much more of her praise and encouragement. It filled his heart with so much warmth, he was sure it would burst into flames at any moment.

Eventually, the tears stopped, and Cat felt the inevitable pull of time. He pulled away with a whispered "thank you, Milady" and a smile. Ladybug returned it tenfold.

"Anytime, Kitty."

Cat gave a crooked smirk. "And for the record, you're my hero too."

"I know." Ladybug shot back, tapping his nose. "C'mon. Race you to Notre Dame!"

As the moon floated across the night sky, so did the two heroes of Paris fly across their city. Sworn to protect not only the citizens, but each other.

~Fin~

A/N: Day two: Hero/Villain. I obviously went the "hero" route, because I seriously can't see Adrien becoming a villain by his own choice. Sure, this is technically a Cat Noir story, but they're the same person, so it counts!

Let me know if you liked it, if I could have done something better, the review button is open to all!


	3. Favorite Ship

**Day 3: Favorite Ship**

"My, my, how the tables have turned."

Adrien jumped as Nino appeared at his shoulder. With one last glance at the girls Adrien dragged Nino behind the wall he was hiding by.

"Dude, you know Marinette's crazy about you, why don't you just go ask her out?" Nino said. Adrien sighed.

"It's not that easy. Sure, you tell me she liked me before, but what if now that I like her, she doesn't like me anymore?" He turned to his best friend. "And if she does, how do I make sure she _keeps_ liking me? I don't want to blow it, man."

Nino put his hand on Adrien's shoulder, shaking his head. "Dude, dude, dude. You just gotta be yourself. Those were your words to me, and now look where I am!"

Adrien rolled his eyes, smiling. Nino had what most people considered "relationship goals." He and Alya were even voted "best couple" of their year. There was just one problem…

"But if you remember, buddy of mine," Adrien said, "you ended up with the wrong girl. You used all your you-ness on Alya when you were trying to woo Marinette. So…how does that help me?"

"Uh, do I actually hear you complaining right now? Because if I hadn't messed up at the zoo, you'd be even more single, and we'd be having a very different conversation right now." Nino said, crossing his arms. However, the image was marred by his wide grin. "Come on, man. You and Nettie are so close to being together already. It's kinda creepy, actually. But, it couldn't be that hard just to push into the next level, right?"

Adrien nodded, thinking of the changes in his and Marinette's friendship since finding out each other's identities. Marinette rarely stumbled over her words around him anymore and he had scaled back the pick-up lines and nicknames. Like their superhero counterparts, Marinette and Adrien shared a new level of physical comfort. They had no issue holding hands or leaning against each other in even the most public settings. During study sessions at the bakery, it wasn't uncommon for Marinette to wind up in Adrien's lap or for her hand to find its way into his hair.

Adrien let out a breath and looked back at the girls, sitting on a bench in the school courtyard. They were looking through Marinette's sketchbook. Marinette was gesturing wildly with her arms, painting some invisible picture for Alya. A warmth spread through Adrien's chest as he watched her.

"I hope you're right, Nino." He straightened before giving his friend a determined look. "But one thing's for sure, there's no one else I'd rather take this leap for or with."

"Aww," Nino mimed wiping a tear from his eye. "My boy's growing up."

"Shut up," Adrien chuckled, shoving Nino's shoulder and they both laughed.

Marinette was putting the finishing touches on the sketch she showed Alya when a familiar tapping sounded above her bed. A fond smile tugged at her lips.

"It's open." She said without even looking up. A click and a series of soft thuds told her of her partner's approach. "Isn't it a little late to be making house calls, Kitty?" she asked, dropping her pencil and closing the book.

Before she could turn around, two arms wrapped around her shoulders, a chin resting atop her head. "You're not exactly asleep, Milady." He said, his voice rumbling through her.

"True, but you didn't know that when you left." She returned the hug as best she could from her position. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" She finally turned around.

Adrien withdrew a few steps, taking a seat on the chaise lounge. "Well, I had this idea, and I wanted to run it by you." He explained.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "You could have texted it to me."

He nodded. "Yeah, but it never sounded quite right when I tried typing it out. I figured I would just have to tell you myself."

"What about a phone call? Texts and meme-sharing aren't the only things these are good for." She said, holding up her cell phone, smirking.

"But then I'd miss your reaction." He leaned back on the chaise. "Besides, you can't say you aren't happy to see me." He winked.

Marinette fake-swooned. "Oh, you got me. I just cannot resist your charm." She laughed.

Adrien's smile widened, "Careful, Princess. I might just test you on that."

It was hard to hold on to the playful atmosphere when he sounded so genuine. "And what is that supposed mean?" She said, trying to sound teasing.

He shrugged. "Nothing, nothing. Forget I said anything." He moved to stand by her, grabbing the sketchbook. "What were you working on? Am I allowed to see or is it a secret?"

Marinette continued to eye the boy, suddenly suspicious. His topic change was painfully obvious, but the temptation to talk about her newest designs were too much. Her self-control could only hold out for so long… She cracked.

She snatched the book and flipped to her most recent page. "It's actually based on this new line out from an American designer. I've made some changes, obviously, but the general idea is the same, I feel. And if you look at…" and she was off.

So deep was Marinette in her designs, she didn't notice the adoration pouring from Adrien's gaze. He hung on every word, of course, but that didn't stop him from admiring the excited gleam in her eyes. An idea was forming in the back of his mind. The more she gushed about the different fashions found in different countries, the more concrete the idea became.

He hadn't lied. He had come to discuss an idea with her, but this new one was so far and above what he'd originally planned, he was almost embarrassed. How could he have not thought of it before?

"Y'know?" She finished. The gleam dimmed from her eyes as she saw his tender smile. A faint red rose up to her cheeks and she looked down, her fingers fiddling together. "I did it again, didn't I? Sorry…"

"Don't be." He said immediately, taking her hands in his. "I love seeing you so passionate. Hearing you ramble excitedly makes me wish I paid more attention when my dad would talk to with his designers." He shrugged. "This makes you happy. And if you're happy, I'm happy."

The red on Marinette's cheeks darkened under his earnest gaze. She had to look away. "S-so…" she cleared her throat. "Um, w-what was the idea you were so determined to ask me about?"

"Well," he started, pulling her up so they were standing. "You know how _Gabriel_ is hosting a fashion show this weekend?" she nodded. "It just so happens that I don't have to model in it, but I do have to attend." She furrowed her brow in confusion, tilting her head adorably. "And I was wondering… if you'd like to join me as my guest."

Marinette's eyes were blown wide and Adrien's heart began to race as he realized she probably stopped breathing. "Nettie? M-Marinette?" He waved a hand in front of her eyes, growing more worried. "Are you-?"

"YES!"

The outburst startled them both, and Marinette covered her mouth. With a wary look to her bedroom door, she tried again. "Yes, I would love to go with you, Adrien." She smiled, her blush still going strong.

Adrien let out a breath and all weight lifted from his shoulders. "Great. _Really_ great. Awesome!" He was rambling, he knew, but he couldn't help it. His face would probably be sore from smiling so much, but he didn't care. She'd said _yes._

"What time should I meet you there?" Marinette asked.

"Oh, I'll pick you up. But I'll get more information and let you know a time and such tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"That's purrfect." She said.

He couldn't help it. He gathered her up in a huge hug, allowing himself to indulge in her scent for a moment. When he released her, he called on Plagg to transform him.

Moments later, he sat on her window sill, holding her hand, and hesitant to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kitty." She said squeezing his hand.

He brought their hands to his lips and planted a light kiss on her knuckles. "It's a date." He answered. With a wink, he flew from the window and into the night.

 **A/N:** Woo! Three days done! For today, I obviously went with Adrienette. But with just a smidge of Marichat. The rest of the week will be connected with this one, so you have that to look forward to! Hopefully, I'll do justice to the prompts.

As always, let me know what you think in the reviews! I love hearing from you guys! Thanks!


	4. Fashion

Excuse the late update, hopefully it's worth it!

 **Day 4: Fashion**

The night before the Show, Adrien was a wreck. He shifted in the back seat of the sleek, silver town car, and fiddled with his tie for the millionth time. Plagg peaked out from his spot inside Adrien's green-trimmed suit jacket and reached out a paw to lay atop the boy's hand.

"It's. FINE. Stop fidgeting!"

"Sorry… It's just- I'm so nervous!" he admitted in a hushed voice.

"Why? It's not like you could mess this up, completely change Marinette's opinion about you, and never get a chance at happiness with her ever again…" Plagg smiled, but at Adrien's pale face he flew up into his Chosen's face waving his paws. "Kid, I was kidding! Sheesh, you really are nervous. Just imagine your Cat Noir and she's Ladybug. Because…y'know, you are."

Some color came back to Adrien's face and he gave a fragile smile. "Thanks, Plagg…" He looked out the car window. They were almost there. "And…She likes me, right?"

Plagg sat on Adrien's shoulder. "Kid, I've been around for thousands of years. And human courting rituals have yet to make sense to me. But even _I_ can tell that this bug likes you." He floated up and began dusting off the front of the suit. "So, relax, have fun bein' in the audience for once, and most importantly, be yourself. You've got nothin' to worry about." He smiled, his little fangs visible.

"Aww, you really do care." Adrien smiled, cupping his hands around the Kwami.

"Eh, don't get used to it. I think I used up my month's supply on tonight." He folded his arms and looked away.

They were pulling up to the bakery, so Adrien tucked Plagg back into his designated pocket and took one last steadying breath. "You got this."

 _I don't got this._

It was his last thought before his brain turned to mush. Because coming down the stairs toward him and her waiting father was the most beautiful girl Adrien had ever seen. He was sure his mouth had dropped open, and he was no longer breathing, but that didn't matter. Not when she was looking right at him with a dusting of pink across her cheeks, and a small smile on her lips.

She stopped at the bottom and looked towards the ground. Adrien wished she wouldn't, so he could see the way her eyes sparkled in the light again. She looked up at him shyly, as if expecting something.

"Ahem." Tom Dupain cleared his throat loudly and discreetly elbowed the boy into action.

Adrien remembered how to breath, and how to speak, but words failed him. His face warmed with a fierce blush as he stuttered out a compliment. "Y-you- Wow, I mean- That dress- uh," He cleared his throat. "D-did you make it yourself?" _Nice work, Agreste. Try not to drool on her, okay?_

She fingered the skirt, splaying it out for him to see. "Yeah, actually. It took all week, but I'm happy with how it came out. Is it okay for tonight?" She was looking shy again. _Can't have that._

"You look purrfect." He said, reaching out a hand to her. When she took it, he spun her, getting the full effect of the dress.

It was a beautiful rose pink, with a single shoulder, and ending at her ankles with a flowing A line cut. What killed him, though was the slit along the side that ran up to her mid-thigh. It was all he could to keep his eyes above her waist. Her hair was done up in a single bun, with loose tresses curled and just brushing her bare neck. Her Miraculous earrings were present, but didn't draw the eye, which was probably by design.

"Stunning." He said once more as her spin ended. He reached over to shake hands with Tom. "Mr. Dupain, a pleasure as always. I'll have her home by 10."

Tom shook the offered hand with gusto. "Please, it's Tom, to you, son. And take as long as you like. We trust you." He winked, and Adrien blushed, putting his hand to the back of his neck.

Marinette hugged her father, called a farewell up to her mother at the top of the stairs, and they were off.

Adrien opened the door for her before joining her in the back seat. The car rumbled out into the street and towards the venue,

Adrien should have felt rude for staring, but he couldn't help it. The light from passing street lamps did wonderful things for the girl beside him, and there was a part of him that never wanted to get to the show.

It grew too much for Marinette though, and she looked nervously at him a few times before asking, "What are you staring at?"

"You," he admitted before thinking. "You look beautiful tonight, Milady." Her hand found his in the dark, and he lightly squeezed her fingers.

She shrugged, smiling. "You don't look too bad yourself, Alley Cat."

He spread his arms out. "I clean up alright. But you," he raised her hand in his, "Puurfection."

"You already used that one." She pointed out, taking her hand back.

He mourned the loss, but continued. "What can I say? I just can't think around gorgeous women."

Her blush was all the answer he needed, as she turned her face to look out the window. They'd arrived.

Marinette tensed as the front of the venue came into view. A sea of reporters, all with flashing cameras, were gathered by the doors, waiting to get a photo or comment from celebrities and models. From people like Adrien.

His stomach rolled, suddenly filled with a different kind of nervous energy. He grabbed Marinette's hand again, causing her to look at him.

"Together?" he said.

She blinked, and the familiar Ladybug steel alighted her eyes. "Together."

By the time they made it to their seats – after greeting a few reporters, mingling with fashion moguls who'd worked with Gabriel in the past, and telling nearly everyone and their designer-breed dog that "no, I'm not modelling in the show tonight" – Adrien was exhausted. He was used to this kind of interaction, but he never was able to build up the stamina to last long.

Marinette, though, was glowing.

"This is so amazing. All these top designers all in one place and asking about my dress! _My_ dress! I mean, can you believe it?!" She looked at Adrien with stars in her eyes.

"Why wouldn't they? They're all probably kicking themselves for not designing it themselves." He beamed. Even if they never got together in the way he'd like, he'd gladly stand behind her and her talent for the rest of his life.

"You're just saying that." She looked away.

"I'd never insult you like that, Nettie. You've got real talent and you deserve to be proud of it." He gestured to the cat walk in front of them. "In fact, if I don't see your work on a runway in the near future, I'm calling foul play. Because _that_ would be unbelievable."

She looked down, fiddling with her hands. "Thank you, Adrien." She looked at him earnestly. "For everything."

He took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "Anytime, Milady."

The music changed then, and the host called everyone to their seats. When the lights dimmed, replaced with a few spotlights, Marinette leaned over and placed a kiss on Adrien's cheek.

"It's a date." She whispered.

 **A/N:** Alright! Here it is! Hot off the press and unedited aside from what I did as I went along. Hope you all enjoy it, and of course, don't be shy to drop a review. I love hearing from you! See you tomorrow!


	5. Patrol

Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites! It really drives me to keep writing for you guys! Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

 **Day 5: Patrol**

Cat Noir sat in their usual spot, a random rooftop they'd chosen shortly after learning each other's identity. It wasn't a particularly special roof in anyway, but it was equidistant between their homes. Easy to get to, but obscure enough that the public wouldn't be able to pick it out. Cat sat with his legs dangling from the edge, but he was growing increasingly restless.

He'd been there nearly twenty minutes already, and still no sign of Mari-bug. His eyes were constantly scanning the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of red, but nothing came.

After twenty-three minutes he was pacing the roof, his tail dragging behind him. As it got closer to thirty minutes, he began mumbling to himself.

"This isn't normal… something's gotta be wrong." He stopped at the edge of the roof and turned to walk the length again. "Sure, she's not exactly Miss Punctual at school, but she's never been late for patrol…" Plagg's annoyance seeped through the Miraculous and Adrien sighed. "I know, I know, I'm probably stressing over nothing." He stopped and looked towards the bakery.

"But what if things didn't go as well last night as I thought? And she's avoiding me?" He murmured, hoping desperately that he was wrong. He stared into the night, biting his lip.

"I gotta see her." And he jumped away.

He stopped on the roof of the school, just next-door to the bakery and saw Marinette's light on in the attic. Using his baton, he landed as silently as he could onto her balcony and edged toward the skylight.

The bed was empty, but he could see movement from the room below. Climbing down the balcony railing, he saw another window cracked open. With some work, he opened it, climbed through, and sat on the sill.

There she was. Sitting at her desk, hunched over her sketchbook with her pencil moving wildly across the pages. He sighed, his body sagging in relief. He shook his head, smiling.

 _Figures._

Tikki saw him from her perch above Marinette's computer, and smiled at him. He waved, then gestured to the girl. Silently asking permission to interrupt. When the Kwami nodded, he released his transformation and handed Plagg a wedge of cheese to keep him quiet.

"You know, it's rude to stand someone up on the second date, Princess." He said, taking only minor pleasure in the way Marinette jumped at his voice.

"A-Adrien?!" She whipped around to look at him, then looked at the clock nearby. There was an audible _smack_ when her hand met her forehead. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot…" she gestured to her sketchbook. "I just got sucked in and-and…"

"And lost track of time." He finished as he moved from the window. "I get it. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. It's not like you to be late. Well, not while in spots, anyway." He winked.

"Sorry." She muttered. "There were just so many ideas running around my head from the fashion show last night and this was the first chance I got to put them to paper. I didn't want to forget anything." Then she looked at him, "But I guess I did."

Adrien spread his hands out. "Hey, I'm just glad it wasn't something I did."

Marinette rose an eyebrow at him. "Why would you think that?"

He reached a hand up to the back of his neck and looked at the floor. "Well, I, uh, kinda thought maybe you had second thoughts after last night…"

"WHAT?!" They both cringed and glanced at the trapdoor. She continued in a lower volume. "Adrien-" She put a hand over her eyes. "Where did this come from? I had a _wonderful_ time last night, I told you as much when you dropped me off." She stood up and took his hand, dragging him to sit on the chaise.

"Oh, you know… Insecurity combined with too much time to think. We didn't really get a chance to talk today and then when you didn't show up tonight, I just assumed the worst."

"I told him it was stupid to worry! I told him- Ow!" Plagg's voice drifted towards them. Then Tikki floated into view.

"Don't mind us. Totally not listening in on this." When she flew away, they could hear the Kwamis arguing from their hiding spot.

"Uh, anyway…" Adrien continued, waving a hand dismissively. "Plagg's right, he did tell me. But I had to be sure." He gave a half-smile.

Marinette shook her head. "Silly Kitty. What am I going to have to do to prove that I like you?"

"You like me?"

"Of course!" She said immediately. Then, realizing what she'd said, the blush set in and she looked away. "I mean, um-"

"Wait, was that a confession, Bugaboo?" Adrien leaned into her line of sight, showing off a cheeky smile.

"Well, you confessed first!" She argued.

"When?!"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, maybe that one time when you told _Marinette_ that you were in love with _Ladybug_?"

Now it was his turn to blush and look away. "Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh.' And if you'll remember, Ladybug later told you that she liked someone else?" She raised her eyebrows at him, expectantly.

She could practically see the gears turning in Adrien's head. "You don't mean…?"

"I was talking about you, Adrien." She smiled, the faintest blush still visible on her cheeks. "Since that day in the rain, after you made it clear you had nothing to do with the chewing gum."

Adrien had a far-away look in his eye, remembering the day vividly. "Yeah… Hey, that's when your stuttering started too. So, the reason you couldn't talk to me, wasn't because you _didn't_ like me, but because…"

"I like you." She said, nodding. "And now I've said it twice to you in once night." She laughed nervously.

"Now that's not fair, I haven't even gotten to say it once!" Adrien said with a teasing smile.

At the quizzical look on Marinette's face, Adrien grimaced. "I was hoping it'd be obvious after asking you out last night, but," he looked her in the eye. "I really like you, too, Nettie." He took her hand, covering it with both of his. " _Both_ of you. I know you need that distinction." She smiled. "And I'd like for us to go out again. And again. And again, for the foreseeable future. I want to be with you. And I'm kind of hoping you want to be with me, too."

He looked at their joined hands. "Now I-"

His words were stopped by Marrinette's free hand on his lips.

"I want to be with you, too." She whispered.

Adrien's eyes widened as his heart filled with so much hope and joy, he felt he would burst. "Really?"

With a sweet smile, and that beautiful blush he loved so much, she nodded.

Adrien wrapped his arms around her in bone-crushing hug. One that she returned as well as she was able. After a moment, the intensity lessened, but the hug didn't end. They sat, just holding one another and enjoying the presence and warmth of someone who returned their feelings.

Adrien nuzzled his head into her hair and wanted so badly to tell her _I love you_ , but he didn't want to scar her. If this was going to last, he had to do it right. Even if it meant waiting.

"Yeah, okay. Look, I hate to break this up, believe me. But a certain superhero duo was expected to be spotted on patrol over an hour ago." Plagg said, earning a glare from Tikki.

"Oh!" Marinette jumped looking at the clock again.

Adrien sighed, but pulled away from her, "Alright, Plagg." He said, then stuck out his fist. "Claws out!"

Marinette stood beside him, "Tikki, spots on!"

Once their transformations died down, Cat Noir reached a hand out to Ladybug. "Shall we be off, Milady?"

Ladybug laced her fingers with his, smiling as he kissed her hand. "After you, Chaton."

Cat shook his head. "Together?" he countered, and she nodded.

"Together."

 **A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry it's late again, I had a crazy Thursday… Anyway, what'd you think? Let me know in the reviews. Hope you liked it, and I'll see you tomorrow!


	6. Family

**Day 6: Family**

Adrien's leg bounced anxiously as he sat in the back seat. Marinette's hand clamped down on it with more force than she'd intended, but it got him to stop.

"Adrien, I swear, your leg is going to bounce away if you keep this up." She said.

"Sorry." He said, putting a hand to his neck and pulling at the dress shirt he wore.

"What are you so nervous about? We've had dinner with your father before, and we've always come out of them unscathed." She grimaced. "Even after we told him I'd been offered an internship with that one competing fashion house." She looked at him. "Remember _that_ conversation?"

"Oh… yeah." The look his father had given them at even considering the offer was enough to haunt his dreams for weeks afterward. It was included in what Adrien dubbed, "The Dark Days of Design School." "Not a good day." Adrien agreed.

She smiled the special smile she kept just for cheering him up. The one that bordered on playful and serious depending on how he responded. "So, how could tonight be any worse?"

"Well…" He wanted to blurt out the truth right then and there, but a pat from Plagg in his jacket pocket convinced him to wait. "I just, I don't want him to say anything that would make you uncomfortable. Father is…an acquired taste, as I'm sure you've noticed." He looked down, Marinette's hand still on his knee. He smiled and held it in both his hands. "Your family has been so welcoming to me since we started going out. Even before then! And I just want you to feel comfortable around my family too." He shrugged. "And Father is all I have left."

They heard a grunt from the driver's seat.

"Besides you and Nathalie, Hector. You know you're family to me." The driver gave a smile in the rearview mirror and a nod of acknowledgement.

"I understand, Adrien." Marinette laid her other hand atop his. "And I am comfortable. I don't expect him to change who he is just because I'm around more often. Besides," she winked at him "I'm a big girl, I can handle a few off-handed comments."

He smiled and leaned in, so their noses touched. "Oh, don't I know it." And he kissed her nose, causing her to blush.

When they got into the restaurant, they were surprised by Gabriel already standing to meet them. Nathalie sat, her tablet put away for once.

"Nathalie," Adrien said, surprised. "Will you be joining us?"

"Not for the whole night, unfortunately. I have family obligations and will be leaving early." She said with a faint smile. Adrien cocked his head.

It was rare for Nathalie to talk of her family. Adrien had even wondered if she lived anywhere else, she was at the house so often.

"Oh, well, we'll enjoy your company while we have it then." He smiled.

Adrien pulled the chair out for Marinette, and was about to sit himself, but a hand on his arm stopped him. It was Gabriel.

"Adrien, if I may have a word in private." It was hardly a question, but Adrien felt the need to answer anyway.

"Of course." He kissed Marinette's cheek. "I'll be back." He told her.

Gabriel led them out a set of French doors and onto a balcony. Adrien was glad he'd kept his jacket when the wind hit him. Gabriel stood at the railing and looked out over the restaurant's small, but immaculate garden. Adrien moved to stand next to him, and heard the doors click closed behind them.

"I know what you're planning, Adrien." Gabriel said after a moment.

"Oh… you do?" Did he really, or was he trying to get Adrien to admit something? It wouldn't be the first time he'd tried the tactic on him, but the last time had been several years before.

"Yes." He turned to full face the young man. "And I approve."

"Really?" Hope dared to lace his tone.

Gabriel only nodded. "You've grown into an impressive, talented young man, Adrien. At 24, you're no longer the boy I was afraid to send to public school. And she's a remarkable young woman and has proven herself in more scenarios than are strictly fair for someone so young." He fell silent and looked at his son for a long moment. A faint smile curved his lips. "Your mother would be proud."

Instantly, Adrien felt tears sting his eyes. For Gabriel to speak of his mother at all, and without provocation was more of a shock than receiving the man's blessing.

"I have something for you." Gabriel reached into his jacket and removed a small, black box. He gently placed it into Adrien's waiting palm. "It was Emilie's. I believe she'd want you to have it. And," He took a breath. " _I_ want you to have it."

Opening the box, Adrien had to stifle his gasp. Closing it again, he placed it carefully into its own pocket. He didn't want to risk Plagg thinking it was a cheese box. Then in a move riskier than any he'd attempted as Cat Noir, Adrien hugged his father. Gabriel hesitantly returned it, adding a few pats on the back before retreating and clearing his throat.

"Now, best not keep the ladies waiting."

Adrien caught Gabriel's wrist as he tried to walk away. "Thank you, Father. This means a lot to me."

Gabriel gave Adrien a sincere smile.

The dinner was amazing. The food was perfect of course, but the company made it better. No sensitive topics were broached, no condescending stares or accusations as Adrien had feared. Hector had even joined them, and though silent, added to the warm, friendly atmosphere of the group. _Family_ , Adrien corrected himself.

That table, though sans the Dupain-Chengs, was full of his family. Adrien's hand found Marinette's sometime after dinner and never let go. Even as they rose to bid goodbye to the others.

When Nathalie announced it was time for her to leave, Gabriel announced his regrets that he and Hector had to leave as well. Marinette looked apprehensive.

"Uh, but Hector drove us here…" She pointed out.

"He did, but unfortunately I need him with me for the rest of the evening. Please, don't leave on our accounts. Stay as long as you like. Here." He handed Adrien his credit card. "It's on me tonight." And they all left the restaurant.

"Well, that was…" Marinette said.

"Odd. Yeah. Convenient they all had to leave at the same time…" Adrien shook his head. Perhaps he got his terrible poker face from this father.

"Did you want to stay, or…?" he asked.

"I think I'm fine to leave. Unless you wanted dessert?" She asked.

"I always want dessert, but I think I need a walk." He said. The box in his pocket felt heavy in his pocket.

"Oh," She suddenly looked concerned. "Are you feeling alright?"

He smiled at her. "Just fine. I just need a walk with the most beautiful girl in Paris."

She blushed lightly. "Only Paris?"

"I'd say the world, but we'd have to actually travel the world first." He said, flagging down a waiter to pay.

"Technicalities." She waved a hand.

Once out the doors, Adrien looped her arm with his, setting off towards the Eiffel Tower.

"So, tell me, Kitty. Do you have a place in mind?"

"Maybe, but whether we get there or not is entirely up to you." He smiled down at her.

She quirked an eyebrow at him but said nothing more.

The moon was shining fully on them as they strolled along the lesser-populated streets. They saw other couples walking around them, some stopped to enjoy the scenery, while others strolled in silence. As they walked, they reminisced over the different Akumas fought there, or past dates gone on. When they reached a certain bridge, Marinette stopped.

"This is where I first ate Andre's ice cream." She said.

"Really?" he looked around, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "Hey, me too!"

"What? When?" when Adrien gave the date, she put her hands to her mouth. "That's the same day as me!"

"No way! You think we were here at the same time, and just missed each other?"

"It'd certainly fit with our pattern." She joked. "It's a little tragic, isn't it? We were probably only a bridge length apart and still didn't know." She looked out over the water.

Seeing her there, the moonlight hitting her raven hair just right, Adrien couldn't think of a more perfect place. His heart jumped into overdrive, suddenly pounding in chest.

"Marinette?" He wished his voice had sounded more sure, more confident. When she turned back to him, her blue eyes sparkling like the night sky above them, his tongue felt heavy. The words were slow to his mind.

"What if, now that we're here, we fill this place with better, happier memories?"

Her mouth opened, probably to ask what he meant, but it fell open as he dropped to a single knee. His hands fumbled a bit getting the box out, and shook as he presented his mother's ring to her, but if he could just get the question out, it'd be perfect.

"Nettie, Bugaboo, my Princess… When we got together, your family opened their arms and their hearts to me like I was their own. And tonight, we got to spend dinner with my own version of family. But now, I'd like to talk about a different kind of family. Marinette, you've been more than a friend to me since the day we met, with and without the masks. I've loved you all these years, and the time we've spent together has been…Miraculous. So, I'd like to make it official.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, would you allow me to be your family, and agree to be my wife? Will you marry me?"

 **A/N:** Feel free to rant in the comments, if needed.

Only one more day to go, guys! This has been a crazy week! Going to school and being a full-time mom hasn't made working on these snippets easy, but I am _so_ glad I did it. Reading the reviews and seeing the traffic stats has made me think that maybe I'm actually good at this writing thing. So, thanks for being awesome, supporting me in this way, and I will see you tomorrow for the finale!


	7. Future

**Day 7: Future**

Adrien could count on one hand the number of times the word "yes" had changed his life. The first to come to mind was when he'd been allowed to go to public school and ultimately made his first real set of friends. The second, of course, came when Marinette agreed to date him. And he desperately hoped he would soon hear the biggest, most important "yes" of his life.

"Will you marry me?"

The words hung in the night air and every heartbeat of silence felt like a hammer to his chest. Marinette stared, wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the ring in Adrien's hand. Tikki lovingly floated up and pushed the woman's jaw closed. The contact shocked Marinette back into reality.

"YES!" She blurted out. "Yes, yes! Of course!" She launched herself into her _fiancé's_ arms, nearly knocking him off balance.

Adrien laughed as he caught her, too full of joy to worry about anything else in the world. Holding her tight, he stood them both up, and planted kiss after kiss onto her smiling lips. Eventually he reached into the box and presented the ring to her left hand. It was a perfect fit.

The diamond was modest, but shone brilliantly in the moonlight. It was flanked by two smaller diamonds, and the band twisted beautifully around Marinette's slender finger. The diamonds were all cut into a square.

"It's called a princess cut." Adrien told her, indicating the center stone. "It was my mother's engagement ring. Father wanted you to have it. And I just happen to think it fits you perfectly," he raised his hand to cup Marinette's face. "Princess."

"It's beautiful, Adrien." She gave him a quick peck before smirking. " _Paw_ sitively _purr_ fect."

"I love you." He said, fervently, bringing his forehead to rest against hers.

"I love you, too." She closed her eyes, soaking in the moment.

"Don't keep us in suspense, kid! Let us see the ring!" Plagg said, floating up between the couple.

Adrien rolled his eyes, but Marinette rose her hand for the Kwami to see. Tikki zipped up to join them.

"Me too, me too!" She gasped. "Oh, Marinette, it's gorgeous! Plagg, isn't it so beautiful?"

Plagg shook his head but wore a smile. "Ya done good, kid. I always knew this one was a keeper." He said, smug.

"You only said that after you found out her family makes cheese cake, and you get all-you-can-eat access." Adrien accused.

Plagg shrugged, "I never said it was unconditional."

Tikki put a hand to her face. "You're impossible."

The two Kwami began a light-hearted bicker and Adrien returned his attention to his bride-to-be.

"Well, Milady, what should we do now? Live happily ever after?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows cheekily.

"Eh," Marinette waved a hand at the idea. "Sounds too simple. And we have always been anything but simple."

Adrien nodded. "True. Then what do you suggest?"

She smiled, a glint in her eye.

"No fair! That's like four times in a row now!" Adrien yelled.

"Don't be bitter, Kitty. You knew what you were getting into when you proposed." She said with a triumphant grin.

"Well, yeah, but I thought I'd actually be better after all these years…" He placed his controller onto the coffee table, defeated. The tv screen in front of them flashed "Player 1 Wins," mocking him. "Four embarrassing defeats in a row…" he muttered, shaking his head.

"Aw," she leaned against him, her chin on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Chaton. You have the rest of our lives to catch up to me."

He kissed her nose. "That is true."

"And," She said standing up and walking away, "we'll have a baby at some point. Babies are notoriously bad at video games." She winked at him over her shoulder.

Adrien froze, staring at her retreating form. "A baby…" he whispered.

"What's wrong?" She asked, staring at him over the bar in the kitchen. Adrien loved the apartment for that reason; it was small enough that a conversation could be kept from anywhere inside, but enough room for friends to come visit, with an extra bedroom spend the night in if needed. But with this new thought, it suddenly felt cramped.

"Adrien?" She said when he didn't move. "Are you alright?" She brought a couple drinks and some chips to the couch. "I- I didn't mean to freak you out or anything… I-"

Adrien's hands were suddenly on her shoulders and he looked at her seriously.

"We-we could have a baby someday…" he said.

"Well, yeah." She answered, unsure what was going on.

"You could be a mommy." He took a breath. "And I- I could be…a…"

"A daddy?" she filled in.

A tear rolled down Adrien's cheek, followed by another, until he was openly crying with joy. "I could be a daddy someday!" he cheered.

She smiled tenderly at him. "Yes, Kitty. You could be the most amazing daddy. In fact, I _know_ you will be." She stroked a hand through his hair and down to cup his cheek.

"How many?" Adrien said suddenly.

"How many kids?"

"Yeah!" he was suddenly on his knees in front of her. "How about three? Or four? Is six too many?"

Marinette laughed, stopping his mini-rant. "Adrien, how about we get married first? Then we can talk about one and go from there." She planted a quick peck before reaching for the chips.

"Wedding, right." He said, but his eyes showed his mind was anywhere but in the room with her.

Marinette shut off the game and grabbed the remote. "Wanna watch a movie?" She asked.

"What if I'm just like my dad?" He said quietly, still staring off into space.

"Guess not." Marinette mumbled, setting the remote down. "That's not going to happen." She answered.

"But what if-"

"If anything, you'd be more like _my_ father." She held up her hand and ticked off her fingers as she spoke. "You're both pun-loving dorks, get up way too early to be normal for human life, work harder than anyone I know, and would do anything for your family." She finished. "I swear, if you had a mustache and put on a few more pounds you _would_ be my father…"

Adrien gasped, his eyes lighting up like Christmas lights. "Should I grow a mustache?" he asked excitedly.

"Absolutely not." She deadpanned.

"Aw, why not?"

"Because every time you'd kiss me, it'd be like kissing my father." Marinette leveled a stare at him. He blanched.

"Oh, yeah. Bad idea."

"Now that that's settled, do you wanna watch a movie or not?" she asked, picking up the remote again.

"What about a beard, then?"

Marinette groaned.

 **A/N:** Ugh, these guys just wouldn't stop being cute! Well, that's fluff for you.

That's all folks! Day 7 and the finale to 2018's Adrien Appreciation week! I sincerely thank you all for reading and sticking with it. It's the most I've written in a week in a long time, and it's all because of you lovely readers! I'll still be around, hopefully writing more to post here, but until then, maybe check out my two other stories, Marry Me, and Muse. You can find them via my profile.

Thanks again, and I'll see you all later!


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